I am me (Slayer Jue Viole Grace)

Chapter 2

          Viole set the tray down on the table and took a seat on the bed. "We're in the Cage right now, in one of Yama's personal guest rooms." Looking up at her, he asked, "What...what do you remember last?"

          Elaine couldn't help but notice that he had ignored her first question. She looked up and met his eyes as if she could find the answer by staring straight into his mind. She could feel his golden eyes bore into hers. Finally, Elaine looked away. "It's kinda fuzzy. I remember summoning Fenryl to help the rankers fight the shinheuh, but as soon he materialized, it turned on me." Elaine bit her lip as she remembered the fear she felt when something she could control, something she trusted, started to turn on her. "I...I think I remember waking up some time later, but I'm sure if I imagined it or not. It was horrible, my body felt like it was destroying itself." She shuddered just thinking back on the pain. "Oh Viole, it was horrible. I thought for sure those were my final moments." Elaine could see Viole expression change, and he seemed struggling to meet Elaine's eyes. "...And then I was here, in this room. How long has it been since the battle?."

          Viole spoke in a soft voice. "You've been asleep for the past three days. How do you feel?"

          "Stronger than ever," Elaine replied with a sigh. "But how, Viole? I wasn't kidding when I said I felt like I was dead. I can't be alive right now, I shouldn't be. So how?" Her voice hardened. "Answer me, Viole, what did you do?"

          "I–" Viole started.

          "He gave you his blood," Karaka said as he stepped into the room, followed by Khun and Hwaryun. He said with such a matter-of-fact tone as if it was supposed to answer everything. In reality, that statement left Elaine with more questions than answers. Gave me his blood? Like blood transfusion? No, that's impossible. Maybe his blood has healing factors, and it was used in some sort of medicine? Is it even possible for someone's blood to have medicinal properties? God, will someone PLEASE just give a straight answer!

          "Karaka, Khun, Hwaryun, where did you come from!" Viole exclaimed.

          "We were discussing how we should proceed after this battle," Karaka said.

          "I wouldn't call what we were doing 'discussing'. Arguing, maybe. Trying to rip each other's throat out in frustration, most definitely." Khun muttered under his breath.

          "Oh, well what did you–" Viole started.

          Elaine just lost it. Maybe she was still tired from sleeping for four days, or overwhelmed from her own confusion, or probably a combination of both. "EVERYBODY JUST SHUT UP!" That got everybody's attention. "Somebody just give me a clear answer to how I'm alive. NOW."

          Everybody just stood around her for a moment, staring. Finally, Khun spoke up. "We had to perform a blood transfusion using Bam's blood. And before you say it's impossible," Khun said as Elaine opened her mouth, "I had thought that too. It's only thanks to Yama's blood transfusion facilities and Bam's blood that you're alive right now."

          "Mostly because of Viole's blood," Karaka commented. "The strength of his blood is unfathomable. We were worried that his blood wouldn't be strong enough to overpower the blood of a Great Family member like you. After all, even the Heads of some of the Great Families have tried to create princesses in their own name, but until now only Jahad's blood was able to make princesses. But Viole's blood, not only was it strong enough to overpower yours, but it very nearly killed you. It was almost TOO strong, to where your body had to gather every ounce of fight left to prevent itself from being devoured."

          "That's when you woke up. Your body needed to be awake in order to combat my blood fully," Viole said. "I'm sorry for all the pain I caused."

          Elaine had to sit there for a moment to take it all in. So it really WAS blood transfusion. Viole's blood runs through me, the blood of an irregular. No wonder I feel so strong, even stronger than before the battle at the Nest. She got up and started to pace the room. She couldn't help but laugh at the irony of it all. "So in the end, even if it wasn't Jahad's..."

          "Fate is a twisted thing isn't it," Hwaryun said. "Seems you were always destined to carry the blood of a god. You were once chosen to carry Jahad's, and yet here you stand with the blood of his greatest enemy flowing through your veins and granting you life." Hwaryun stood up and started to walk toward her. "Where other Great Families failed, you are living proof of the strength of our god. You..." She was so close now that Elaine could smell her sweet perfume. " ...are a Princess of Viole.

Word Count: 1510

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A/N

And so that's part 2! I managed to write the chapter in a week somewhat comfortably, so I think moving forward, I'll try to update the story weekly. Keep in mind this is a very tentative schedule, so I won't be following it very strictly. It's more of a guideline that I'd like to follow. And as always, if you have any suggestions for how to make the story better, please feel free to leave a comment!

08/04/2023

Again, some minor edits that make it flow better and slight dialogue updates that I thought would better suit the characters.